Starting-gate for race-courses.



PATENTED MAY 9, 1905.

J. W. LOUD.

STARTING GATE FOR RAGE COURSES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1904.

awvamtoz Eva h m was W 1 PW UNITFD TATIES Patented May 9, 1905.

JOHN LOUD, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIG-NOILOF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE W. PARDEE, OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY.

STAHTING- GATE FOR RACE-"COURSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 789,285, dated May 9, 1905.

Application filed June 10, 1904. Serial No. 211,886.

'1'!) all whom it Inn/y concern:

Be it known that I, JonN IV. Loon, a eitizen of the United States of A merica,and a resident of Cincinnati, county of Hamilton, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Starting-Gates for Race- Courses, of which the following is a specification.

The object of myinvel'ition is a startinggate for race-courses, which may be opened quickly, effectively, and in a manner such as neither to startle the horses nor to entangle the horses or riders. This object is attained by the means described in the specification and illustrated in the drawings, in which-- Figure l is a perspective view of a part of a race-track, the starting-gate embodying my invention being shown in position barring the track. Fig. 2 is a sectional View of a part of one of the elastic members with its tubular guide shown in section. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view, upon an enlarged scale, of the clasp for engaging the barriers. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line v w of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail view, upon an enlarged scale, of a modified form of barrier.

Referring to the parts, at the sides of the track,up0n the outside of the fence A,are vertical standards B B, which are both braced iirmly in place. At the uppermost ends of the standards is a horizontal supporting member, which consists of two ropes or cables O O, which engage each other at the center 0. From the member O a number of rings 0 are hung. Rings (.5 (Z project horizontally, one from each of the standards B B, to a point just within the fence A. These rings (Z (Z are engaged by rings (Z d, which are secured to the outer ends of straps D D, which constitute the barrier. These straps D D carry at their inner ends rings cl d Ring rl engages the housing E and ring d" engages a bolt E, adapted to enter the housing E and to be held therein by a removable pin a, which projects down through holes in the housing and the bolt E, as shown in Fig. 4. The pin 0 is en gaged by a cable F, which passes thence up through rings 0 and down to a point ad acent to the starters stand S, so that the starter by pulling on the cable F may separate the barrier. The barrier when separated is immediately drawn to the side by elastic cables Gr G. One end of cable Or engages bolt E, and one end of cable G engages housing E, both cables diverging thence to the opposite fences, where the cable Ur passes through a tubularguide g and thence to a ring 7), secured to the standard 13, and cable Gr passes through a tubular guide g, secured to the fences, the cable passing thence to a ring 7/, secured to the standard 13. As soon as the barrier is separated by the starters pulling the pin 0, which releases housing E and bolt E, the clastic cables Or (1 draw the barriers D D alongside of each fence, leaving the track open.

In order that the pin (a be not too securely held in place by reason of the tension upon the housing E and the bolt E, l have provided the following construction: The housing consists of a box closed upon all sides except one the one through which the bolt E enters--and in the bottom of the housing I have formed grooves a (2 The belt E has two down waidly-projecting flanges a c", which lit into the grooves 0 (4 when the bolt is placed in the housing E. The engagement of the flanges and the grooves are only tight enough to prevent too much friction upon the pin (2 and to become readily disengaged as soon as the pin a is withdrawn.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a construction of barrier which is calculated to overcome any tendency in the barrier to twist. Passing through each of rings (Z cl are vertical rods H, which are turned up at their ends it it and terminate in rings lb 71., through which the double barrier D is passed, the opposite ends of the barrier being secured to the ring (Z and the construction of the clasp being the same as aforedescribed. Studs it" if steady rod H.

In operation when it is desired to bar the track the straps D D are drawn together at its center by stretching the elastic members G G, and the housing E is entered by the bolt E, the two being held together by inserting the pin a. The barrier D D is then in place and stands, preferably, at about the height of the horses breasts. It is seen then that the track is efiectivel y barred. When the starter has gotten the horses in a satisfactory position, he pulls the cable F, thereby Withdrawing pin 6 from the housing and bolt E E, which then separates, and the elastic cables G G draw the barriers to the sides, opening it, as it were, like a door opening before a person. This is done quickly, and as the barriers move in a direction away from the horses they are not startled thereby as they are by barriers which go up verticallyin front of them. Moreover, the barrier being drawn away from the horses and in the direction in which they are going there is no danger of the barriers entangling the riders, thereby 0bviating the danger which is inherent in that class of barriers which rise vertically above the horses and the riders heads.

I have shown my invention in the best form known to me; but it is obvious that many mere mechanical changes might be made in the same-as, for instance, I would regard it as an inferior modification of the same to make the straps D D elastic instead of using separate elastic members GG or to place the elastic members alongside of the straps D D in place of putting them in the angular position I have shown.

hat I do claim is 1. A starting-gate consisting of a barrier made of two straps; means for securing the outer ends in place at the side of the track, a clasp consisting of two parts one member of which is carried at the inner end of each strap; means for holding the clasps temporarily together, two elastic members secured at their outer ends at the sides of the track ata distance from the outer ends of the straps and secured at their inner ends to the inner ends of the straps, and means for unlocking the members of the clasp, substantially as shown and described.

2. A starting-gate consisting of two standards, one secured at each side of the track, a supporting member carriedat the upper ends of the standards, a strap secured to each standard, a housing carried at the inner end of one strap, a bolt secured at the inner end of the other strap to enter the housing, a pin to engage the bolt and the housing, a cable secured to the pin and supported by the sup port, guides secured at the sides of the track at a distance from the standards and elastic members secured at the sides of the track passing through the guides and engaging the housing and the bolt respectively, substantially as shown and described.

JOHN WV. LOUD.

Witnesses:

\V. F. MURRAY, A. MoCoRMAoK. 

